HRT is heart medication. Is it safe?

[ria_ts]

I realized only this weekend that all of my HRT medicines are meant for heart disease. I am also using Rogaine in addition to HRT. I do not have heart disease. However, all of these medicines make me crave to eat things that would typically raise blood pressure.

If I ever come off HRT and Rogaine, how is my body going to react? I am contemplating stopping HRT (not due to these safety concerns, but rather because I am questioning if I want to transition at all). I am wondering if these medicines are actually safe for someone who never had heart disease before HRT.

[Kieron Andrew]

From that i take it you are self medding without doctors supervision, if so....go get yourself under supervision, no one here is qualified to help you

[Mariah]

I soo agree with the handsome kieron! but to anwer a bit of your question. yes spero and some others are bp meds Spero drops you bp though not raise it. (at least I hope so that's why my Doc proscripted it!)

Mariah

[Daintre]

As Kieron says, you need to be under a doctor's supervision. I do have heart disease and I take a cocktail of drugs for my condition. However when drugs are made and researched they find many more uses for a drug then when it was first put on the market.

[Lorileah]

Not to be too scary, hun, but OMG! Let's see what heart drugs can do. Some are what we call inotrophic which means it makes the heart beat harder. That can't be good on a healthy heart. It will raise your blood pressure and could cause the heart to beat incorrectly. Other types of drugs are called chrontropic which means it makes the heart beat faster (usually but others can slow the heart). Other drugs used in heart disease decrease flow (or increase) like a diuretic.

I understand "girls" on here trying to emulate females or even transitioning but when it comes to using drugs (or herbs) you really should do it under the supervision of a medical doctor. Otherwise that hammer may drop on the loaded chamber.

[Lisa Golightly]

If you are questioning your need to transition then you should stop anyway. The list of potential deadly side effects of my personal cocktail is so nasty one of my friends questioned my reason... What he doesn't get is I'll gladly sacrifice a chunk of my life to kill the boy.

If you have doubts... Stop now, but come off the meds gradually.

[MJ]

like most have said if your not under doctors supervision you should stop taking them but slowly.
and if you are questioning your need to transition then you should stop anyway. as Lisa said.

transition is very dangerous even with a doctor. i have to get my blood work done every month to monitor my health again Lisa is right " I'll gladly sacrifice a chunk of my life to kill the boy." because I'm not a boy !! when you add surgery in to the mix we must be crazy. it's a one way trip womanhood or die trying...

[ria_ts]

I am under doctor's supervision. I have not taken any medication without doctor's supervision, ever.

The first person who posted a response made the incorrect assumption that I am "self meddling" without supervision and everyone else continued along the same line of reasoning!

My original question still remains. If I go off these medicines, do they cause serious ailments with the heart because these are all heart disease medications and they make me crave to eat things that would potentially cause heart disease?

My next appointment with my doctor is about 3 weeks away. I was hoping to hear from anyone else who may have investigated this or someone who can provide any pointers so that I can have a more meaningful discussion with my doctor. My next appointment with my therapist is next week and I have this person to discuss about stopping HRT. I am not making random decisions about HRT!

What I said here in my original post is that I realized that "all" of my HRT medications are heart medications. I already knew that Spiro was a potassium sparing diuretic, which reduces sodium in the body and tends to reduce blood pressure. I recently figured out that estrogen also tends to lower risk of heart disease. And then last week I found out that finasteride also was originally heart disease medicine. And finally Rogaine, which I discovered before I posted to this thread. My surprise was that "all" of these medications were meant for heart disease. At the same time, they make me crave for salty, spicy and oily food. I feel very weak without these kinds of foods. I tried other ways to fill my hunger, but I still have strong cravings. This is the reason I was curious about what happens when I come off HRT.

Please stop making assumptions about people you do not know. Thanks!

[Lisa Golightly]

I made no assumptions actually, and my opinion stands.

[GypsyKaren]

Ria, you're asking about a serious matter, you're heart, and we're no experts, so I don't think that anyone would feel comfortable with treading on that subject. I have never heard of anyone having heart problems from going off hormones, but what I know means nothing.

Just a thought here, but if you're under a doctor's supervision like you say, why don't you just ask him? He's your doctor, he's giving you the meds, he's the expert, and he's there to answer any questions you might have...just takes a little phone call.

As for your cravings, it sounds like you have a bad case of the munchies for junk food, and I don't see how any pill is going to make that happen.

Karen

[ria_ts]

I made no assumptions actually, and my opinion stands.

I agree with your opinion that if I am questioning HRT, then I must stop.

I am contemplating stopping HRT due to reasons unrelated to being transgender. I have other personal reasons - a different health issue that is rapidly leading to disability, unemployment after getting laid off from my job, not being eligible for disability or unemployment benefits (not for another 6 months), no health insurance, not having any support from family for transitioning, bankruptcy, student debt that does not go away despite bankruptcy, foreclosed condo, etc. It is a question of basic survival now, which seems to trump gender transition. I now live on the couch at my brother's tiny one-bedroom apartment and he is in school and in debt and he is against my transition, but I have nowhere else to go. I am using a public library for internet. I found out that I was the only one laid off from my job among 1200 people who worked at the branch of my company, and I am probably the only transgender person who came out at work a month before I got laid off.

Of course, I was also startled by the rapid changes after starting HRT. I had thought that I was bisexual before I started HRT. I am only attracted to women now, even though my urge for physical sex has gone to almost zero. I also have very prominent breast and nipple development (cup size just 1/4 less than a B) which shocked me because it happened before the end of 2 months when my doctor was still ramping me up on the HRT dosage. I was still coping with these and many more sudden physical and mental changes, which I knew would happen but not so soon. While I like the changes, I am scared.

In this context, and especially with my other health issue and not having money to deal with that one, I was contemplating stopping HRT. I spoke with my doctor who said that I should not worry too much about the effects of HRT as heart medication because I am very healthy, except for my other health issue which appears to be unrelated, and that my body will regulate everything properly if I gradually come off HRT.

I know that my original question was not phrased correctly. I was asking if coming off HRT is safe, given that most of it helps with the heart. I got my answer from my doctor Friday. I do not have any money to pay the doctors anymore, so I am gradually coming off HRT.

[Lisa Golightly]

You're heading through one rough patch at the moment, but it is my hope that you'll find strength in the experience... I know I did during my crisis years...

It must be terribly difficult living with someone who doen't want to understand who you are and my heart goes out to you... If you ever need a shoulder feel free to pm me anytime...

Lisa xxx